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New York Knicks: Who stepped up on opening night against the Hawks?

By Rob Wolkenbrod

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 17: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks and Kent Bazemore #24 of the Atlanta Hawks pursue th eloose ball at Madison Square Garden on October 17, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 17: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks and Kent Bazemore #24 of the Atlanta Hawks pursue th eloose ball at Madison Square Garden on October 17, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 17: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks and Kent Bazemore #24 of the Atlanta Hawks pursue th eloose ball at Madison Square Garden on October 17, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 17: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks and Kent Bazemore #24 of the Atlanta Hawks pursue th eloose ball at Madison Square Garden on October 17, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

1. Tim Hardaway Jr.

The New York Knicks need a star-like from anyone on any given night, with Kristaps Porzingis potentially gone for the entire season. Tim Hardaway Jr. took this role more frequently at the end of 2017-18, but he needed to step up to open 2018-19.

Well, for an opening act, Hardaway Jr. delivered 31 points, six rebounds and five assists on 10-for-22 shooting in 29 minutes. Much of it happened in the second quarter when the Knicks scored 49 points.

It was a streaky night for the second-generation guard, who started cold, broke into a red-hot streak, went cold again and finished cool. His game swings back and forth on the pendulum, and that will likely remain the case this season, but similar games to Wednesday will put those negatives aside.

Despite that, Hardaway Jr. arguably holds the highest game-to-game scoring potential of any Knick. He only had five games of 30-plus points in 2017-18, and just two of them happened after Porzingis’ injury, but another year of experience on a hungry, young team that wants to push the ball may create more eye-opening nights on the stat sheet.

Reasons to love Frank Ntilikina in the starting lineup. dark. Next

The Knicks will return to the court on Friday, Oct. 19 against the Brooklyn Nets at 7:30 p.m. ET. It’s their first road game of the season, so will the record move to 2-0?

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